Chef de réseau

The opening scene of "the two-Headed Spy" has a script that dedicates the film. It reads, "To those men of the Intelligence Service who worked in secrecy. Who struggled and died in darkness. To those lonely and courageous men who risked their lives daily in the enemy camp. This picture is dedicated. And, to one of those men, Colonel A. P. Scotland, O.B.E., British Intelligence Service, whose exploits over the past half century inspired this story. We wish to express our thanks."

Indeed, the background of Alexander Scotland is very interesting. Here was an early implementer of interrogation methods, as well as a highly experienced spy. That's a story worth looking into. Scotland served as adviser for this film. While he had posed as lower ranking German officers and NCOs in World War I and at other times, he said he never was a high-ranking German official. Yet, when one notices some similarities in this film, it does raise a question.

This film stars Jack Hawkins in a fictitious plot as just such a British spy. Gen. Alex Schotland was a British agent who served in the German Army of WW I. But, unlike most in the espionage business, after the war he didn't come out. He stayed in Germany, kept his military affiliation and identity, and when the Nazis began a rise to power, he jumped on the train.

This is a very good and interesting look at how such high level direct espionage might have looked. One quickly comes to the conclusion that the best way to advance and get on the good graces inside the Nazi hierarchy was to agree with Hitler and promise that his every command could be carried out. Especially, if that went against the reasoned, experienced generals, regardless of how bad was Hitler's position. Anyway, that's how Schottland does it here.

A distant romantic connection is provided by Gia Scala who plays Lili Geyr, a renowned German singer and entertainer of troops. The story has an interesting ending. Scala made a few very good films and had a promising career in movies and television. But, she suffered from depression and began drinking heavily. She underwent frequent psychiatric treatment. On April 30, 1972, she died from an overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills.

I didn't start out thinking I was going to like The Two-Headed Spy. I thought it was going to be another WW2 spy movie that would be too wordy and more boring than exciting. By the time the first half hour had passed, I was positively riveted!

Jack Hawkins is a German general, and is very well-respected among his fellow Nazis. Then, he's seen entering an antiques shop and speaking to Donald Pleasance about a rare clock he's looking to buy. The conversation about a clock is merely a ruse until they know they're alone and unobserved—Jack Hawkins is really an undercover British agent!

Previously, I'd only seen Jack Hawkins in a supporting role in Ben-Hur, but he carries off the leading role very well, commanding the screen and expressing every emotion with confidence. The Two-Headed Spy is a very riveting spy movie, with countless tension-filled scenes in which someone could—or does—get caught, discovered, and punished for being a spy. It really is an interesting, overlooked film from the 50s. Gia Scala, another of Jack's contacts, is beautiful and strong, rather like a prettier, more likable Ingrid Bergman. Had this film starred more well-known actors, it would probably be a classic. As it is, it's highly entertaining and fun—rent it for a thrilling evening with your sweetie-pie. The ladies won't be bored with this one, I guarantee it. And, if you're looking closely enough, you can see Michael Caine in one of his earliest movies. He's only on the screen for a couple of minutes, but when you hear the Nazi speaking with a Cockney accent, you can tell it's him!

The amazing thing about this film is its actuality - it's a true story, general Schottland was actually a British spy in Germany from 1914 to the end of the second world war, with high responsibilities as a general and trusted implicitly by Hitler himself. The one fellow officer who didn't trust him is played by Alexander Knox who makes a fearful Nazi bully and idiot. Gia Scala plays the woman, a singer in a relationship with Jack Hawkins and others, and there is a traumatic story very similar to "The Counterfeit Traitor" with William Holden and Lilli Palmer some years later, but this is in black and white and sticks very strictly to realism, postponing true romance till after the war, if possible. The situation of general Schottland is hair-raising. His responsibility was tremendous, and he had the power and means to obstruct several of the most vital operations of the Germans during the war, for example the outcome of the battle of the Ardennes, actually causing immense casualties, and that's the shocking insight of this film - you learn how little millions of human lives mattered to officers in charge of the war. They are perfectly strict in casualness, and if one mark with a pen means the sacrifice of millions, it's for them just a mark of the pen. Jack Hawkings keeps up a terrible balance, constantly throwing a glance behind his back, constantly watched by the Gestapo, and ultimately no longer able to suppress his humanity. It's a great film on a small scale and definietely an enduring classic for all times.

I have never been very excited by this true story put on screen. I have never been interested by this story, anyway. I know why. I prefer Andre De Toth's last film PLAY DIRTY instead, ten times better for me. This one seems boring, predictable. If there is one film from the one eyed director that I dislike is this one. I prefer MAN ON A STRING from De Toth.

A high ranking German wehrmacht officer, General Schottland (Jack Hawkins) who has access to Hitler is actually a British spy feeding information back to the Allies and uses a clockmaker (Felix Aylmer) as a go-between.

Although the film claims to be a true story "inspired by" it is sadly anything but. The real life Alexander Scotland was a British spy in the First World War and did not have access to the Kaiser, although he did pose as an officer in the German army and did meet Hitler in 1937. In the Second World War he was in charge of overseeing the interrogatin of German PoWs. Otherwise the film has little relation to actual events and is pure fiction but is a good suspenseful war thriller.

At times the film does seem far fetched, but is good entertainment none the less with some quality moments of suspense.